02.12.2007
Punta Tombo - The biggest penguin colony outside of Antarctica About 120 km south of Trelew is the other main attraction of this region: the biggest penguin colony outside of Antarctica. An estimated 175.000 couples (some say 200.000 couples) of Magellanic Penguins arrive here in August / September to build nests and lay eggs. Around mid November the eggs are hatched. Males and females take turn feeding the hungry chicks. At this time of the year it is quite noisy around the area, with adults and young ones alike braying loudly. These penguins live in holes they dig into the ground or under the omnipresent bushes. It seemed to us that literally every bush sheltered the nest of a penguin family. It is a place that everybody falls in love with. These small creatures, averaging 45 cm high, are just sooo cute, no matter whether they are walking, resting, sunbathing, swimming, teasing each other or twisting their necks when curiously looking at you! We were walking around for hours, taking zillions of photos and enjoying the special experience. Despite the many tourists visiting most of the penguins are still rather shy, although some are rather cheeky, cutting the path right in front of you. When it comes to touching them, it is simply no. They snap at you with their hard beaks and that is it! |